Local artist, Paige Joyner, painted an ornament that is featured on the Christmas tree in the Governor’s mansion.
Joyner was approached by a representative from the Governor’s residence about doing a new hand painted ornament for 2020, since the last batch was updated in 2012.
They received her name from the Tennessee Arts Commission where she is on their Teaching Roster. A local artist from each of Tennessee’s 95 counties designed and painted an ornament. The ornament was provided for each artist to paint.
Joyner’s ornament representing Crockett County featured multiple layers of the county. Each layer depicted a different dynamic of the county.
Paige describes each layer from top to bottom as:
Top cap features the Crockett County High School (CCHS) Cavalier colors and C
Rows of crops galore!
Small Towns, Big Hearts from the mural on Meri’s wall says it all
The granite band in the middle pays homage to the Veterans’ Memorial on the square
A tiny band of landscape reminds us of beautiful Davy Crockett Lake
Cotton is king in Crockett!
Tennessee Safari Park brings sooo many visitors to our area, so we’ve got to have giraffe pattern
The Tennessee TRI-Star represents our flag and tells everyone we are a 3-Star community- with great schools, health and public safety boosting our economic development
A beautiful glass bead is a nod to all our wonderful boutiques
And no symbol of Davy Crockett’s namesake would be complete without a coonskin cap, so I sculpted a tail from oven-bake clay and painted it to dangle like a tassel from the bottom
“They are planning to display the new ornaments either on a tree or special displays in time for holiday tours of the residence,” said Joyner.
Joyner is a native of Adamsville. Her family moved to Crockett County in the Fall of 2006. Her husband, Brian is the minister of youth and music at First Baptist Church in Alamo. Their sons Daniel and Benjamin graduated from CCHS.
“I have drawn and done artsy things all my life,” said Joyner. “My parents were also artists, mom still paints and sews and does lots of creative things, daddy was a sculptor who carved lots of small items in his spare time, built frames, lures and countless other things.”
Joyner has a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree (BFA) in Graphic Design/Drawing from Mississippi State University and a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting from the University of Memphis. She has over 30 years of experience doing a wide variety of creative projects from portraiture, her true love, to calligraphy, set design, custom gifts, restoration and much more.
“Here in Crockett County, I have designed and built the sets for dozens of Performing Arts/Arts Council theater productions and church programs,” said Joyner. “I have also taught art in the schools and after-school settings, serving as Artist-in-Residence for Alamo City School for years.”
She is currently seeking to grow her personal art practice, and just attended an oil painting workshop with Dawn Whitelaw at Dot Courson’s studio in Pontotoc, MS.
“I feel like God gave me a special talent, a gift that not everyone has, so it is my responsibility to use it to be about His business somehow as I paint and do other creative projects,” she said. “I am studying new ways to do that as I hone my craft and learn new ways of seeing, observing and interpreting my world during this next phase of my life. I am looking forward to meeting other artists in other parts of the region and attending more workshops, paint-outs and events.”
Joyner currently serves as the chairperson for the Visual Arts Committee of the Arts Council of Crockett Tennessee (ACCT).
Currently she is working on planning a Plein-Air outside painting event with guest juror and awards. This is an outdoor event that already implements social distancing. They’re looking to feature hobbyists and professionals in this new event to Crockett.
If anyone is interested in forming a local Plein-air/painting group, please contact me at 901-494-7142 or [email protected].
